Mary Immaculate Parish Nature Church

The church is the signature structure in the complex which spreads over a 4,000 square meter mango orchard beside a flowing creek. True to the nature concept proposed by the architect, Francisco "Bobby" Manosa, the church stands under a canopy of mango boughs, the altar section concealed from street view by thick tropical palms and plants thus providing the necessary privacy for prayer and meditat

ion. The nature concept is extensively expressed in the structure of the church itself, its furnishings and its adornments. Serving as beams and pillars to hold and support the cables which suspend an inverted funnel-shaped, canvas-covered anahaw roof are more than a half century old mango trees with six concrete posts providing added strength. The intricately woven network of 40,000 anahaw leaves can be appreciated from the inside by simple looking up to the ceiling. Warm yet soft illumination is provided by 176 capiz lanterns depicting doves in flight spiraling from the fringes to the center of the ceiling. Grouped into three sections on the wide assembly area are pews made from typhoon-felled trees strops and logs, and kneelers made from flat pieces of wood. The flooring is a patchwork of stones and wooden slabs mingling with pebble washout. The focal point of the church is the organic sanctuary, so called because it seems to have come from natural evolution. It is propped up by big boulders whose crevices serve as plant beds for ferns and creeping vines. The altar is a rough-finished coral marble slab resting on two madre cacao driftwood pedestals. Flat-topped boulders of various shapes and sizes line the altar and are used as seats by altar servers. The flooring of the altar section, similar to that of the aisles, is interplay of wood tiles from tree trunks cut crosswise and white pebble washout. Below the altar is an awe-inspiring rock garden. Rising about three meters high from altar level, its monolithic grandeur is softened by the refreshing greens of carabao grass, wild bougainvillea, pakpak lawin, and a collection of other fern varieties grown on driftwoods. A man-made waterfall cascades down the boulders to the feet of a seated marble image of Mary playing with the children, and collects in a lagoon planted with colorful water lilies at altar level. Dwarf flowering suntans and orchids add a festive air. Branches from a nearby 50-year old sampaloc tree support the image of the Crucified Christ and at the same time hover protectively over the altars cape. The ambiance created by the natural logs used in the pews is repeated in the vertically arrayed cut-logs on the walls at the right and left sides of the altar. In front of the wall on the right is situated the lector's ambo, crafted from natural twisted tree trunks and vines. Behind this wall is a cavern-like sacristy. On the other hand, the space in front of the wall on the left serves as a projection area for songs and prayers, separating the main altar from the choir section. On this wall hang driftwoods bearing sweet-scented flowering orchids, their silent fragrance courting favors from above. Tucked at the back of the sacristy, directly under the image of the Crucified Christ, is the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel where parishioners take turns in ensuring adoration from 6:00AM to 10:00PM, 7 days a week. The Blessed Sacrament is ensconced in floral mosaic, making the altar one with its surroundings.